Twenty-five observer groups have expressed concerns over the Edo State governorship election, alleging that the collation of results at some levels didn’t comply with the Electoral Act of 2022. While they were satisfied with the results from over 4,500 polling units and some wards, they rejected the collation of wards and local governments’ results at the INEC office in Benin, citing it as contrary to the law ¹.
The observer groups claimed that there were two sets of result sheets, one for the field and another for the APC in Edo North, South, and Central. They also reported disruptions by the military and police during the collation process, including intimidation of INEC officials, which violates the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines ¹.
Key Concerns:
- Militarization and Impunity: The observer groups alleged that the military and police disrupted the collation process, intimidating INEC officials and violating the Electoral Act.
- Two Sets of Result Sheets: The groups claimed that there were two sets of result sheets, which raises concerns about the credibility of the results.
- INEC and Security Agencies’ Role: The observer groups accused INEC, military, and police of violating the Electoral Act, particularly concerning the collation of results.
The groups rejected the election result, which declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressive Congress as the governor. INEC and security agencies had previously assured Nigerians of safety and fairness during the election ² ³. However, these allegations raise significant concerns about the election’s credibility.
